This article explores marketing around birthdays, an event that marketers are finding effective for increasing sales. View Summary

This article explores marketing around birthdays, an event that marketers are finding effective for increasing sales.

'Vertical' events such as Christmas are a big opportunity for brands, but the crowded advertising and sometimes unpleasant shopping crowds can make it difficult to maximise ROI.

But 'horizontal' events such as birthdays can be a great opportunity to increase sales, though the impact is more difficult to measure.

Spending increases around birthdays in terms of things people buy for themselves, gifts they receive and money spent on experiences like eating out.

Email marketing close to a birthday can increase effectiveness, with 'mystery' offers generating the greatest response.

2

New models for luxury marketing

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Marcia Roosevelt, Admap, February 2015, pp. 18-20

This article urges a rethink of luxury marketing, as western societies change and make mass-marketing less relevant, while other countries have different approaches to hierarchy. View Summary

This article urges a rethink of luxury marketing, as western societies change and make mass-marketing less relevant, while other countries have different approaches to hierarchy.

Luxury marketing is often dismissed and perceived as niche and irrelevant, but this is changing as technology makes culture more individualised and companies want to expand their top-tiers for greater profitability.

Research found that national and cultural values are more important than economic indicators in determining what 'luxury' means.

This led to four distinct models of 'luxury': the power of prestige, democratised performance, graceful utility, and refined beauty aesthete.

This article proposes nine methods marketers can use to grab the attention of young people, who are harder to interest as they are used to multitasking and are easily distracted - partly due to patterns of technology use. View Summary

This article proposes nine methods marketers can use to grab the attention of young people, who are harder to interest as they are used to multitasking and are easily distracted - partly due to patterns of technology use.

Doing something new that people haven't seen before is one way to grab attention, as will tapping into the zeitgeist.

Brands should make sure their marketing fits the context, is easy to navigate and is planned for the 'ringleaders'.

In low-interest categories, it can be helpful to find an association with something people are passionate about.

Other ways to reach this younger audience include making it personal, learning from their use of new platforms and giving them a chance to express themselves.

4

Four “mobile truths” from Heineken

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, ANA Mobile First, December 2014

This event report sets out four mobile 'truths' identified by Heineken, the beer brewing group, in the US - and gives examples of how the company has leveraged these truths with its brand. View Summary

This event report sets out four mobile 'truths' identified by Heineken, the beer brewing group, in the US - and gives examples of how the company has leveraged these truths with its brand.

Mobile is scalable, as increasing numbers of people use their mobile devices to access social networks - Newcastle Brown Ale's spoor super bowl campaign is a good example of how this can be used.

Mobile is also everywhere, meaning it can be combined with other datasets including location, web browsing history and more.

Mobile is also engaging, allowing marketers to go deeper with content, and resonating more with a bigger impact.

Finally, mobile is personal - and while it isn't easy to leverage this feature, Heineken's '@WhereNext' campaign is a good example of how mass brands can communicate one-to-one.

This event report addresses how General Mills, the packaged-food group, is focusing on multicultural and millennial audiences. View Summary

This event report addresses how General Mills, the packaged-food group, is focusing on multicultural and millennial audiences.

While most brands are targeting younger shoppers and customers from various ethnic backgrounds, the real sweet spot could come from leveraging the points of overlap between these groups.

A three-point "recipe" for starting on this journey incorporates purpose-driven branding, using compelling insights to inform interesting messaging and ensuring these audiences are fully represented inside companies.

Pillsbury, Cheerios and Betty Crocker are all examples of brands that have successfully engaged new demographics by examining their marketing strategies with such priorities in mind.

6

Trends Snapshot: eSports – A new type of sponsorship opportunity

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Stephen Whiteside, Warc Trends, January 2015

This article describes 'eSports', a new spectator 'sport' that revolves around video games, and explains the opportunities for sponsorship available to brands. View Summary

This article describes 'eSports', a new spectator 'sport' that revolves around video games, and explains the opportunities for sponsorship available to brands.

A growing number of people (mostly young men) stream gaming competition content through online platforms, and a large 'hardcore' also attend live events.

This is a high engagement activity, with an average online viewing session lasting 2.2 hours around 19 times a month.

Brands that have started to take advantage of this opportunity include Coca-Cola, which has affiliated with a championship; Red Bull, which has created its own event; and American Express, which has offered in-game rewards for using its product.

It is now reaching a tipping point, where audience sizes will move eSports into the mainstream and enhance the opportunity for brands.

7

AB InBev extends appeal from puppy commercials to in-store coolers

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, ad:tech New York, November 2014

This event report shows how AB InBev, the brewing group, is aiming to enhance its in-store marketing efforts using digital technology. View Summary

This event report shows how AB InBev, the brewing group, is aiming to enhance its in-store marketing efforts using digital technology.

A spot from Budweiser become one of the most-shared ads ever during the 2014 Super Bowl, meaning the beer enjoyed considerable adulation online.

Despite this, its market share dipped during the first quarter of 2014, when the big game was held, indicating that this digital success was not necessarily transferring offline.

By taking digital messaging into stores, there is a stronger possibility that the positive emotional connections yielded by marketing can directly impact consumer purchases.

Through building branded, digitally-connected coolers which can host video, animations and striking images on translucent screens, the company is aiming to drive up sales.

8

How Tough Mudder fuels word of mouth

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, ad:tech New York, November 2014

This event report explains how Tough Mudder, an endurance event series, directs word of mouth to make its events more appealing to a broader group of people - who might otherwise be put off by the challenge. View Summary

This event report explains how Tough Mudder, an endurance event series, directs word of mouth to make its events more appealing to a broader group of people - who might otherwise be put off by the challenge.

The challenge naturally encourages social sharing and word-of-mouth buzz, and the company has directed these conversations towards teamwork and camaraderie through its own messaging.

Tough Mudder 'directs' WOM by posting stories of teamwork and togetherness, employing photographers at events and using post-event surveys to focus thinking on particular features.

9

How Timex is keeping pace with changing consumer preferences

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, ANA Mobile First

This event report explains how Timex, the watch brand, launched a new product with more advanced capabilities after research to understand consumer needs, and partnerships with other companies to meet them. View Summary

This event report explains how Timex, the watch brand, launched a new product with more advanced capabilities after research to understand consumer needs, and partnerships with other companies to meet them.

Watchmakers are facing increased competition from new brands and technologies, as 'wearables' transform consumer expectations.

Efforts to understand what people wanted from smart-watches revealed three priorities: running/fitness data, music and safety/communication.

To meet these emerging needs, Timex partnered with companies that had greater capabilities in these areas to create a new sports watch.

The resulting product incorporates GPS, 4GB of storage and an inbuilt modem for communications.

This article shows how Always, Procter & Gamble's feminine hygiene brand, engaged consumers in a new way by changing the conversation surrounding its category. View Summary

This article shows how Always, Procter & Gamble's feminine hygiene brand, engaged consumers in a new way by changing the conversation surrounding its category.

Traditionally, advertising in Always' category used scientific demonstrations or idealized imagery, neither of which fostered lasting connections with women.

In shifting the conversation, Always sought to address the loss in confidence that girls often feel when going through puberty, and which can take years to regain.

It core messaging, based around the tagline "Like a Girl", aimed to reframe how people used this expression, making it a term of empowerment.

The initial campaign video soon generated millions of hits on YouTube, and successfully sparked online and offline conversations, as well as building emotional engagement for Always.

12

How programmatic and 'always on' strategies can improve performance

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Tom Barker, Warc Exclusive, January 2015

This article provides a simplified guide to programmatic buying, arguing that it is important for more marketers to understand this important technology and move marketing strategies to 'always on' to make the most of it. View Summary

This article provides a simplified guide to programmatic buying, arguing that it is important for more marketers to understand this important technology and move marketing strategies to 'always on' to make the most of it.

For people who feel overwhelmed by programmatic technology, thinking about it like eBay can make it easier to understand though programmatic is on a much larger scale.

Every brand should consider programmatic as it allows them to reach consumers at the right time with the right message.

It requires a different strategic approach as it should be continuous rather working in bursts - being 'always on' helps gather better data and execute better targeting.

13

Kraft tackles advertising's data integrity problem

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, Ad Age Data, October 2014

This event report discusses how Kraft, the food group, has aimed to address three data integrity issues which are common across the advertising ecosystem. View Summary

This event report discusses how Kraft, the food group, has aimed to address three data integrity issues which are common across the advertising ecosystem.

As third-party data is typically nowhere near as accurate as brands have generally assumed, the firm is making greater use of first-party data from its diverse range of assets.

Tackling ad fraud is a major priority, and involves building or identifying solutions relating to subjects such as viewability and frequency.

Changing the metrics traditionally utilised by the ad industry is a must, with creating a trustworthy form of single-source data the longer-term objective.

14

Spices, seasoning and statistics: How McCormick is tapping big data

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, Ad Age Data, October 2014

This event report shows how McCormick – which manufacturers a diverse range of spices, herbs and seasonings – is using various forms of data to enhance its understanding of consumers. View Summary

This event report shows how McCormick – which manufacturers a diverse range of spices, herbs and seasonings – is using various forms of data to enhance its understanding of consumers.

Drawing on insights gleaned from McCormick.com and Google search data has proved one powerful source of inspiration in this area.

It also provides information that can be broken down in various ways, including by day part, geography and flavour combination.

An especially important area of focus for the Coca-Cola Company has been gaining a greater understanding of customer habits concerning its long-tail brands.

17

PepsiCo’s shopper strategy looks beyond millennials

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, The Market Research Event, October 2014

This event report discusses why PepsiCo, the food and beverage group, is avoiding the temptation of solely focusing on millennials. View Summary

This event report discusses why PepsiCo, the food and beverage group, is avoiding the temptation of solely focusing on millennials.

Despite the attractiveness of this demographic, it cannot drive growth for every single product on the shelf. While many PepsiCo brands, like Doritos, Gatorade and Mountain Dew, have long focused on younger consumers, offering like Tropicana and Quaker Oats skew slightly older.

The preferences of certain age-groups frequently correspond with other key customer metrics, meaning millennials and high-income shoppers have a lot in common, as do Boomers and low-income shoppers.

Digging deep into these attitudes and behaviours of these consumers has allowed PepsiCo to distinguish different day parts, missions and "macro spaces".

18

The shifting digital landscape

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Research on Warc, January 2015

This report sets out the results from research, including surveys and interviews, into the needs and concerns of major advertisers globally. View Summary

This report sets out the results from research, including surveys and interviews, into the needs and concerns of major advertisers globally.

The way advertisers buy and target digital ads is changing as technology advances, but there continue to be barriers to success.

More than half of major advertisers plan to spend more through programmatic buying, and want to bring more responsibility in-house.

A majority of advertisers feel that transparency has stayed the same or declined, and they want more transparency as ad platforms become more complex.

19

How a "superstar" product helped KitchenAid build its brand

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, The Market Research Event, October 2014

This event report demonstrates how KitchenAid, the appliances manufacturer, leveraged the iconic Stand Mixer as a device for driving up demand for the rest of its portfolio. View Summary

This event report demonstrates how KitchenAid, the appliances manufacturer, leveraged the iconic Stand Mixer as a device for driving up demand for the rest of its portfolio.

The Stand Mixer has long been a fixture in households across America, and enjoys huge practical and emotional resonance for consumers.

The product, however, often overshadows the rest of KitchenAid's product range, which covers customer needs across the kitchen.

In order to tap into, and extend, this enthusiasm, the firm set its sights on "passionate gourmands", a group who not only love the Stand Mixer, but were aiming to achieve perfection in all of their culinary activity.

Basing its marketing activity around this notion helped KitchenAid drive up its social-media engagement and core brand metrics.

20

How consumer insights strengthened Under Armour

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, The Market Research Event, October 2014

This event report provides five tips for strengthening the role of the market-research function, based on insights from Under Armour, the sporting goods group. View Summary

This event report provides five tips for strengthening the role of the market-research function, based on insights from Under Armour, the sporting goods group.

One tactic involves helping key executives in major departments solve pressing problems, thus helping to build a network of advocates.

It is also important that important business leaders are consistently kept in the loop regarding any important findings, rather than being surprised in presentations.

Finding suppliers which "fit" with a company’s culture is essential, as is ensuring that internal clients trust suppliers.

Identifying ways of prioritising incoming requests, typically in line with corporate priorities, is another core objective.

21

Shopper marketing in 2015: Total Retail

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Warc Trends, Toolkit 2015

This article, taken from the Warc Toolkit 2015, explores rising consumer expectations of brand experience both online and offline, as focus on in-store experience is renewed. View Summary

This article, taken from the Warc Toolkit 2015, explores rising consumer expectations of brand experience both online and offline, as focus on in-store experience is renewed.

Brands need to present a joined-up customer experience both online and offline, as people move between both and expect a consistent brand experience.

Whilst focus in recent years has been on ecommerce, offline has attracted renewed focus as a source of brand experiences and customer service.

This is facilitated by technological developments which are helping retailers do more in-store, but brands need to balance adding value and being 'creepy'.

As people expect a 'total retail' approach brands need to ensure they deliver a service to match, with structural and logistical challenges that require greater integration in companies.

22

Consumers in 2015: Millennials take centre-stage

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Warc Trends, Toolkit 2015

This article, taken from the Warc Toolkit 2015, explains why Millennials - people aged around 18-34 years old - should be marketers' chief concern. View Summary

This article, taken from the Warc Toolkit 2015, explains why Millennials - people aged around 18-34 years old - should be marketers' chief concern.

As Millennials age their spending power is increasing, therefore brands wishing to grow should pay attention to millennial attitudes.

This group has very different media consumption partners to older generations, and the habits of this first 'media native' generation offer useful pointers to future behaviours of subsequent generations.

TV and digital are working together in new ways, and amongst Millennials TV often drives engagement, with digital providing reach and frequency.

Millennials also know - and care - more about the companies providing products and services than any previous generation, making 'brand purpose' more than just a fad.

23

UGG's battle to embrace the value of market research

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, The Market Research Event, October 2014

This event report reveals how UGG, the category-defining brand of sheepskin footwear owned by Deckers Brands, learned the value of market research.

As a brand which had enjoyed organic growth over a sustained period, not all of UGG's brand teams and designers were convinced about the need for research.

One way of overcoming internal doubts involved conducting a segmentation exercise looking at the future wants of consumers, playing into the forward-looking attitude of designers and reflecting the impetus driving the company's business.

By developing five customer segments – including "fashion mavens" and "creative artists" – and presenting its findings in innovative ways, the research team made a real impression.

Merchandising, design, product development and marketing programs all now draw on consumer insights far more deeply than ever before.